Number selecting game apparatus



June 5, 1951 c, BENKER 2,555,771

NUMBER SELECTING GAME APPARATUS Filed Oct. 25, 1946 INVENTOR. 6%ar/es flew/r l ATTORNEYS-' Patented June 5, 1951 NUMBER SELECTING GAME APPARATUS Charles Benker, North Attl'eboro, Mass.

Application October 25, 1946, Serial No. 705,668

8 Claims.

The invention relates to a selector apparatus which may be utilized for playing games in which characters or numbers form part of the game and which characters or numbers are chosen by chance.

In the operation of certain amusement devices, some means is provided by which a player is notified whether or not a certain number appears in the game. There is some possibility of a persons missing hearing the number or misunderstandin the number, or otherwise being at fault in taking some action such as covering the numher which appears, which human errors may disturb the game which is being played.

An object of this invention is to provide an apparatus wherein any one of a number of characters may be chosen by a moving element guided by chance.

Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus which will positively indicate a number which has been chosen in the playing of the game, thus removing the chance of human fault, which may cause an error in the playing of the game.

Another object of this invention i to provide means by which the playing of the game may be made automatic with little chance of error.

Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus wherein if a number has once appeared in the game, it cannot again appear until the game apparatus has been reset.

Another object of this invention is to provide a game which may be played more quickly by reason of the instantaneous indication to each player of the number which has been chosen.

Another object of this invention i to provide an arrangement whereby all of the playing boards which are used in the game will operate simultaneously as to any number should the numher which is chosen appear on the board.

Another object of this invention is to provide an arrangement so that all of the boards may be reset to starting position once the game is completed.

Another object of this invention is the provision of an apparatus of this character wherein a free moving element When released, may be guided by chance to a position to be acted upon to actuate an indicating mechanism.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an apparatus of this character wherein a free rolling element when released, may be guided by chance to a position to be acted upon to actuate an indicating mechanism.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an apparatus of this character wherein a plurality of free moving elements upon being released in a consecutive order may be guided by chance to a position to be acted upon in an haphazard order with respect to the order of release thereof, to actuate a number indicating mechanism.

A more specific object of the invention is the provision of an apparatus of this character which can be manufactured at a comparatively low cost of production and which will be satisfactory in use.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a central sectional view of a game apparatus embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a View taken on line 22 of Fig. 1 showing a plurality of electric switches employed in the apparatus;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a closure element forming part of the invention;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a closure element in one position thereof;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of another detail;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a fragment portion of the apparatus looking in the direction of the arrows on line E6 of Fig, 1; and

Fig. '7 is a diagrammatic view illustrating an electrical circuit between individual switches and lamps controlled thereby.

In carrying out the invention I provide: a plu rality of similar elements one for each character or number which may be employed in a particular game with which the apparatus may be associated. These may be electric switches, each of which may control an indicator or indicators which when actuated may denote one of a plurality of characters or numbers forming part of the game with which the selector may be employed. These indicators may be lamps having a designating number. For example, when the apparatus is to be employed in the game of Bingo for choosing the order of play, there will be one lamp for each numbered square.

In order to choose by chance which particu-- lar element will be actuated I arrange for a selector member such as a sphere, which upon release, will be free to move in any direction so that when guided by chance it will be moved to cause one of the control elements to be actuated.

With reference to the drawings for a more detailed description of the invention, III designates generally an apparatus having a body portion II. The body portion may be a frame of suitable shape and of any suitable material, that herein shown being circular in cross-section and cupped providing a top wall I 2 inclined towards the center and an annular side wall I3 extending in a generally vertical direction. This body I I may be cored as at I4 to lighten the same and may be supported on legs I5 attached thereto in a suitable manner.

Mounted to extend about the upper edge of the wall I3 are a plurality of similar units I'I operable to actuate means which indicate a particular character chosen or the order of play. In the present embodiment of the invention the means which indicate the chosen character or the order of play comprises electrical light bulbs, accordingly the unit I'I consists of electric switches of a toggle design wherein the contacts may be .moved to open or closed position b a finger I8 which is reciprocally mounted in the body of the switch and with the end portions thereof extending beyond the body of the switch. A flange or arm I9 extends from the body of the switch into engagement with the outer side of wall I3 and is there secured by a screw 20. There is one switch for each character or number employed in the particular game with which the apparatus may be associated. These switches may be of any'suitable approved design the details of which form no part of this invention.

In order to select any one of the switches Ii in the operation 'of the apparatus, a substantially conical shaped member H is provided. This member 2! is mounted to be above the wall I2 and centrally thereof with the outer edge 22 thereof adjacent to the fingers I8, of the switches. The member 2| is spaced from the body I I by means of collars 23 and is secured in position by bolts 24 which extend through the body II and the collars 23 and are threadedly received in member2l. The upper side 25 of member 2i provides an inclined surface on which there may be moved by gravity the selector means to be positioned by chance at a location to be acted upon to operate any one of the switches II. In order to enhance the degree of chance the side 25 is provided with a plurality of spaced protuberances 26 which are positioned so as to interrupt and change the direction of movement of the selector means which in the present instance is shown in the form of spheres 21.

The member 2I is further provided at the outer edge 22 with a wall 28 having a plurality of 1 openings .29 (see Figs. 4 and 5). There is an opening opposite each switch and the side of each opening is provided with a flange 3B. The upper edge of the wall is provided with bearings 3I which extend between each opening. Each opening 29 is closed to the free passage of a sphere 21 therethrough by means of a movably mounted plate or closure designated generally 32. Each closure comprises a flat sheet of stock bent intermediate the ends thereof so as to provide right angular extending portion 33 and 34 (see Fig. 3). A hinge pin 35 is attached to the portion 34 and is journalled in th bearings 3|. The portion 34 is made of a double thickness or may be otherwise weighted so as to tend to swing the closure 32 about its mounting when free to move so as to position the portion 34 to close the opening 29 with which it is associated. In the initial position of the closure 32 at the beginning of a game, the portion 33 is positioned 4 to close the opening 29 and is retained in this closed position by the engagement thereof with the finger I8 of an adjacently positioned switch I'I, thus forming a pocket P in which a sphere 21 may lodge.

There are a plurality of spheres 21 and these are elevated through a centrally disposed tube 36 to be released on the surface 25 for gravitational movement towards the wall 23. This tube 36 is journalled in bearing openings 3?, 38 in body II and member 2i respectively and extends beyond the upper edge of the member I6 and the bottom of body II. The upper edge of the tube 36 is provided with a lateral slot 35 which extends axially of the tube adjacent the side 25. The tube 36 is also provided with an opening M! positioned therein adjacent the upper side of wall I2 and is of a size whereby the spheres 2i may pass into the tube. A.plunger ti is reciprocally mounted in the lower end of the tube to move the sphere 2'5 upwardly through the tube to be discharged through the slot The power source for rotating the tube 36 and for reciprocating the plunger t! comprises in the present instance an electric motor 12 supported in a bracket 53 depending from the body I i. The shaft 54 of the motor is extended and is journalled in a bearing and has mounted thereon a cam 46 which engages the plunger ti. A friction wheel 41 is secured to the shaft is and engages with a similar wheel t8 which is fast to the end of tube 33. In place of friction wheels 41, d8 gear wheels may be employed if so desired. It will be apparent that as the cam is rotated the plunger ll will be reciprocated and the spheres 2? will be moved upwardly in the tube and be spilled through the slot 39 onto the wall 25. In order to provide for loading the tube with members 2i, a resilient finger 49 is fastened to the tube and extends into the tube a distance suflicient to be engaged by the lower one of the spheres 21 as moved upwardly in the tube. This will retain the lower sphere in the tube in position above the opening 46 so as to permit another sphere 2? to enter the tube. The finger it is "sufficiently flexible to be moved outwardly by a sphere 21 being pushed past the finger and there after snap into position to provide the stop as above described.

In presetting the apparatus prior to the beginning of a game the closures 32 are swung about their mountings in a direction to move the portion 33 to the closed position thereof. This is accomplished in the present embodiment by means of a ring designated generally St. The ring is mounted to be moved axially of member 2| by means of spaced rods 5i which depend from the ring and slidably extend through openings 52 in the body It. The rods extend beyond the body II and through brackets 53 which have openings 54 in line with openings 52 for receiving the rods. Each rod Si is provided with a stop collar 55 which is adjustably secured thereto and which abuts against the body [I when the ring is in the uppermost position. A compression spring 55 surrounds each rod between the collar 55 and the bracket 53. Thesesprings are of sufficient force to move and hold the ring in proper position above the member 2|. An annular flange 57 depends from the ring at a location to be engaged by the portion 33 of the closure member when moved to the opened .position as shown at A in Fig. 1. A handle 53 is provided for axially moving the ring and this is attached to the ring by spaced arms 59. When the ring is moved downwardly the flange 51 will engage the portion 33 and swing the closure 32 about its mounting in a direction to move the portion 33 to the closed position.

With the portion 33 in the closed position, the fingers N3 of switches I! are moved by means of a ring 60 to open position and in which position the fingers 18 are closely adjacent to the portion 33 and hold them closed when the ring 50 is permitted to return to initialposition. The ring 66 is mounted concentricwith the ring 5|] and is also mounted for axial movement by means of rods 6| depending therefrom and passing through openings 62 in bosses 63 provided on the outer side, of the body ll Each rod has a collar 64 secured to the end thereof which engages the lower side of the boss 63 through which the rod is resiliently retained in the upper position by compression springs 65 acting against bosses 63 and collars 66 secured to the rods 6 I, so as to bias the collars 64 against the bosses 63. The inner wall 61 of the ring 60 is inclined or tapered outwardly with the lower edge thereof in line with the outer end of the finger l8 and positioned to be closely adjacent the fingers when the fingers are in the outward position. The outer edge of ring 50 extends beyond the inner edge of ring 60 and will engage and move the ring 60 therewith when moved to reset the portions 33. This action will cause such finger l8 engaged by the wall 51 to move inwardly by the wall 61 to reset the switch to open position.

With the apparatus properly pre-set the motor is set into motion which through the gearing 45, 48 will rotate the tube 36 and through the cam 46 reciprocate the plunger 4| to move the spheres 21 upwardly through the tube 36. A sufficient number of spheres 2! are provided for assuring the proper loading of the tube. At each cycle of the cam 46 a sphere 21 will be discharged through the slot 39 into the incline 25 and will be moved therein by gravity to the outer edge to lodge into or adjacent one of the pockets P. The depth of each pocket is such that a substantial portion of a sphere therein will extend outwardly of the pocket. In order to actuate the switch associated with the pocket P into which a sphere may have lodged an arm 68 is mounted on the upper end of the tube 36 so as to rotate therewith. The arm has a slot 39 similar to slot 39 and registers therewith. The arm extends generally parallel to the wall 25 and is of a length to extend closely adjacent to the wall 28. As the arm 68 is moved across the incline 25 the free end thereof will engage a sphere 21 lodged in a pocket P and move the same to pass through the pocket. This action will cause the portion 33 to be moved by the sphere which in turn will move the finger l8 in contact therewith. The distance the finger will be moved will be sufficient for the inner mechanism (not shown) of switches I! to move the finger the required distance so as to close the contacts of the switch. Such movement of the finger l8 will provide sufficient space for the now free closure 32 to be swung about its mounting by means of the weighted portion 34. This will position the portion 34 to close the opening of the pocket to any subsequently moved sphere 21 and will be maintained in this position by the portion 33 engaging the flange 51 as at A. A sphere passing through a pocket 29 will drop on the inclined wall I2 and will gravitate towards the center of the wall I2 and into the tube 36 through the slot 40. It will be apparent that a sphere lodging between pockets will be moved by the arm and lodged in a pocket. It will also be apparent that a sphere may be discharged from the tube on either side of the slot 39. 68 may not engage the spheres in the order released thereby enhancing the chance of selection. In playing the game of Bingo with the apparatus herein described, each switch I! will be placed in a circuit of a group of lamps having the same designation. There will be as many switches as there are groups of lamps. When a particular switch has been closed in the manner above described all lamps in the group in which the switch is placed will be lighted. For instance, in Fig. 7 lamps 10, H and 12 are in a group controlled by switch 13 the closing of which would light these lamps. Were another switch 14 selected, all lamps 15 would then be lighted.

I claim:

1. A game apparatus comprising a plurality of pockets positioned in spaced relation to each other and each having a movable rear wall, a surface inclined towards said pockets, saidsurface having a plurality of protruding elements, a movable member movable by gravity over said surface and guided by impact with said protruding elements for lodging by chance in one of said pockets and against th rear wall thereof, yieldable means movable to a position adjacent to said rear walls for holding said rear Walls in the closed position against the impact of said movable member upon the movement thereof by gravity into one of said pockets, means for engaging and mov-- ing said movable member to move said rear wall and yieldable means and pass said member out of said pocket, and means including said yieldable means responsive to the movement of said rear wall to actuate an electric circuit, including a plurality of lamps.

2. A game apparatus comprising a plurality of pockets positioned in a circle in spaced relation to each other and each having a movable rear wall, a surface inclined towards said pockets, said surface having a plurality of protruding elements, a member movable by gravity over said surface and guided by impact with said protruding elements for lodging by chance in one of said pockets and against the rear wall thereof, means for engaging and moving said movable member to move said rear wall and pass said member out of said pocket, and means positioned to be engaged by and responsive to the movement of said rear wall to actuate an electric circuit, including a plurality of lamps.

3. A game apparatus comprising a plurality of pockets positioned in spaced relation to each other and each having a movable rear wall, an

electric switch having a contact moving arm separate of said rear wall and normally in contact with said rear wall and movable thereby, a surface inclined towards said pockets, said surface having a plurality of protruding elements, a mem-- ber movable by gravity over said surface and guided by impact with said protruding elements for lodging by chance in one of said pockets and against the rear wall thereof, and means for engaging and moving said movable member to move said rear wall and said contact moving arm thereby actuating an electric circuit and passing said member out of said pocket.

4. A game apparatus comprising a plurality of pockets each having a movable rear wall, a surface inclined towards said pockets, said surface having a plurality of protruding elements, a free movable member, means for positioning said member on said surface to be moved thereon Consequently the arm.

by gravity and guided by impact with said protruding elements for lodging by chance in one of said pockets and against the rear wall thereof, yieldable means movable toa position adjacent to said rear walls for holding said rear walls in the closed position against the impact of said movable member upon the movement thereof by gravity into one of said pockets, and means for engaging and moving said movable member to move said rear wall and yieldable means thereby actuating an electric circuit and passing said member out of said pocket.

5. A game apparatus comprising a plurality of pockets each having a movable rear wall, a surface inclined towards said pockets, said surface having a plurality of protruding elements, a free movable member, a conduit to the upper part of said surface, means for moving said member through said conduit to be discharged therefrom on said surface to be moved thereon by gravity and guided by impact with said protruding elements for lodging by chance in one of said pockets and against the rear Wall thereof, yieldable means for holding said rear wall in the closed position against theimpact of said movable member upon the movement thereof by gravity into one of said pockets, means for engaging and moving said movable member to move saidrear wall and yieldable means thereby actuating an electric circuit and passing said member out of said pocket, and means for returning said member to said conduit.

6. A game apparatus comprising a plurality of pockets each having a movable rear wall, a surface inclined towards said pockets, said surface having a plurality of protruding elements, a free movable member, a conduit to the upper part of said surface, means for moving said member through said conduit to be discharged therefrom on said surface to be moved thereon by gravity and guided by impact with said protruding elements for lodging by chance in one of said pockets and against the rear wall thereof, yieldable means for holding said rear wall in the closed position against the impact of said movable member upon the movement thereof by gravity into one of said pockets, means for engaging and moving said member to move said rear wall and yieldable means and pass said member out of said pocket, and means for returning said member to said conduit, and means including said yieldable means responsive to the movement of said rear wall to actuate electric circuit including a plurality of lamps.

'7. A game apparatus comprising a plurality of pockets each having a movable wall, an elecv tric switch having an operating arm extending therefrom and movably mounted thereon, said arm being normally in contact with said movable wall and moved thereby to actuate said switch, a surface inclined towards said pockets, said surface having a plurality of protruding elements, a member movable by gravity over said surface and guided by impact with said protruding elements for lodging by chance in one of said pockets and against the movable wall thereof, said wall being heid in the closed position by said arm against the impact of said movable member upon the movement thereof by gravity into one of said pockets, for engaging and moving said member to move said movable wall and said oper ating arm thereby actuating an electric circuit, and means movable into position to block the entrance to the said one of said pockets upon the moving of said movable wall.

8. A game apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said surface is substantially in the form of a truncated cone.-

CHARLES BENKER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,964,534 Schofer June 26, 1934 1,990,859 Elliott Feb. 12, 1935 2,192,779 Swan et al Mar. 5, 1940 2 ,364,141 Harris Dec. 5, 1944' 

